Shotgun cartridge



ug- 21, 1956 T. R. SCHUL-fz sHoTGuN CARTRIDGE Filed Jan. 30, 1953 n w. m R. E m O w l m, wim. WL H a 8 m N B w H WORIPEL 8 HERZ/6 AroRA/Eys SHUTGUN CARTRIDGE Theodore R. Schultz, Fresno, Calif.

Application January 30, 1953, Serial No. 334,190

Claims. (Cl. 102-42) The present invention relates to shotgun cartridges and more particularly to such a cartridge having improved carrying qualities, penetration, and dispersal pattern.

Conventional shotgun cartridges are known to have insufficient range for many purposes. This is due in large measure to excessive wind resistance incident to premature dispersal of shot and to barrel scrubbing of shot contained in such cartridges during discharge. A1- though the shot is preferably spherical in form, the scrubbing frequently so modifies the form as to induce defiection and to be a partial cause of the excessive dispersal. The dispersal, however, whether incident to shot distortion or simply the fanning out of the shot upon contact with the air externally `of the gun, results in increased air resistance and an unnecessary restriction in range.

The deficiencies in penetration and imparting power of conventional shells are demonstrated in failures to register on targets at normal distances or achieve the desired kills even when properly aimed. Insufficient penetration is largely due to the same general causes as inadequate range.

Excessive and/or premature dispersal of shot in its striking pattern results in erratic performance, reduced range and penetration, and the minimizing of aggregate hitting power.

Although extensive efforts have been made to obviate the described difiiculties in conventional shotgun cartridges, such efforts have not, heretofore, been fully effective.

Over fifty years ago a shot case was developed having an expansible shell capable of maintaining its form under normal pressure when discharged from a gun and having a head provided with an aperture to admit air whereby under propulsion the interior pressure in the shell exceeded the exterior pressure rupturing the shell to release shot contained therein. Although this shot case was of some effect, its distance of travel prior to rupturing was difficult to predict. If made strong enough to give the desired carrying qualities, it frequently failed to rupture and thus the primary function of shot disperal was lost. lf made weak enough to insure rupturing, it ruptured soon after leaving the gun and lost its carrying power.

Other shotgun shells have employed inner casings having rearwardly disposed openings which were intended to tumble while in flight to release contained shot and inner casings having forwardly disposed openings from which shot was supposed to travel as air resistance relatively retarded the inner casing during ght. The performances of both of these types have proved unpredictable. Tumbling is found to disperse shot erratically and in both forms it is impossible to regulate the position of shot release with any acceptable degree of accuracy.

An object of the present invention is to provide a shotgun cartridge having improved carrying qualities, penetration, and dispersal pattern.

nited States Patent 2,759,420 Patented Aug. 2l, 1956 ice Another object is to provide a shotgun cartridge that avoids gun barrel scrubbing.

Another object is to provide a shotgun cartridge adapted to achieve improved distance of travel, penetration, and dispersal pattern that is usable in Shotguns provided with chokes.

Another object is to provide a shotgun cartridge having a plurality of shot containers slidably fitted within one another released as a unit upon discharge and successively removed from the shot by passage through the air so that at relatively accurately predictable distances of travel the shot is released in effective pattern.

Further objects and advantages will become apparent in the subsequent description in the specification.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of a shotgun cartridge embodying the principles of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the shotgun cartridge having a portion thereof broken away to reveal internal details of structure.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of an inner casing of the present invention.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a shot bag utilized in the cartridge as it appears in a condition adapted to receive shot preliminary to completion of the cartridge.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a completed shot bag employed in the cartridge.

Referring in greater detail to the drawing:

Externally, the shotgun cartridge of the present invention has much the same appearance as conventional cartridges of the type in its employment of a hollow cylindrical outer casing 10 of fo'ldable cardboard or other suitable material having a base 11 of copper, brass, or the like, mounted in closing relation to an end thereof as by circumscribing corrugations 12, evident in Figs. 1 and 2. The base has a percussion cap 13 mounted concentrically therein for the usual purpose.

A charge 15, of powder, or other suitable explosive material, is provided in the youter casing adjacent to the cap 13. A circular wad 16 is fitted within the casing against the charge.

A hollow cylindrical inner casing 18 of foldable cardboard or other suitable material is slidably fitted to the outer casing 10 and provides a closed end 19 rested against the wad 16 and an opposite releasably closed end 20. The releasably closed end is conveniently formed by cutting wedged shaped extensions 21 from the sides of the casing and folding the same inwardly, as shown in Fig. 3. The releasably closed end thus formed has a plurality of intersecting slots diametrically related to the inner casing 18. The inner casing is provided with a plurality of longitudinal lines of perforation or scoring 22 continuous with the slots and extended from the releasably closed end 20 to a position in spaced relation to the closed end i9. The inner casing is preferably coated with a lubricating wax `on its inner and outer surfaces which serves to facilitate slidable movement of the inner casing from the outer casing 10 and contents of the inner casing, about to be described, from the inner casing but also releasably to hold the wedge-shaped extensions or segments in inwardly folded position.

A bag 24 of flexible sheet material that is preferably relatively tough, such as regenerated cellulose, is formed from a circular sheet of such material by pressing the same into the inner casing 18 or into a forming cylinder,V

y u W llllil l 3 not shown, of substantially the same size as the inner casing to` achieve the hollow cylindrical intermediate form, shown -in Fig. 4, having a closed end 25 and an open end 26.

Shot 28 of spherical shape and any desired size substantially fills the bag 24. To close the bag, a rod, not shown, having a diameter approximating, but less than, the diameter of the shot utilized is held coaxially in the open end of the bag and the sides ofthe bag gathered about the rod and twisted to provide a plurality of spiral folds 29 having a common direction of rotational progression. The resultant constriction of the end 26 of the bag ispreferably releasably secured by coating the folds Z9 with a light coatingof wax or the like. The rod is withdrawn from the bag leaving an opening 30 slightly smaller than the shot 28.

The bag 24 is slidably fittedV to the inner casing 18 with the opening oppositely disposed from the closed end 19 prior` to the releasable closing of the end 20. A circular wady 32 is fitted into the outer casing 10 against the releasably closed end 20 of the inner casing 18. The outer casing is inwardly turned at 33 to hold the wad' in position and the elements of the cartridge in the assembled relation described.

Operation The operation and utility of the present invention are believed to be clearly apparent and are briefly summarized at this point. The cartridge is loaded into any shotgun, not shown, of corresponding size and discharged in the usual manner by exploding the cap 13 and powder 15. The discharge propels the inner casing 18 and its contents from the gun with the releasably closed end 20 of the inner casing 18 forwardly disposed in a line of ight.

After the traversal of adistance predetermined by the extent of securing of the Wedge-shaped extensions 21 by the described wax coating, the lengths of the perforations 22, the momentum of the shot 28 and the wind resistance of Vthe inner casing` 18, thev inner casing ruptures to release the bag 24. As soon as` the momentum of the shotV and the retarding wind resistance of the casing initiate` the opening of the wedge-shaped'` extension, the extensions are torn apart and the perforations severed` so, thatthe` portions of the casing intermediate the perforations are peeled rearwardly and the inner casingA slipped fromthe. bag.

The momentum of the shot 28 continues to carry the bag 24 forwardly by pressure against the constricted forward end 26 thereof. AlthoughA experimental data is incomplete, it appears that the spiral; folds` exercise a rifling effect in passing through the air; rotating the. bag about a longitudinal axis for more dependable axial. alignment of the bag with the direction of flight than would otherwise be achieved. At any rate the increased distance achieved by use of the spiral folds on the bag 24 seem to suggest this rotary effect as well as the rapid dispersal of the shot into an acceptable striking pattern shortly after release from the bag.

During flight, air enters the bag 24 through the open.- ing 30 and increases the pressure within` the bag relative to the external pressure. This effect, aided by the momentum of the shot 28 pressing against the.` constricted end 20 and the retarding wind resistance of the bag, overcome the wax securing of the folds 29, and theshot 28i continues from the bag.` As previously described, the shot rapidly disperses into a desirable striking pattern; shortly after leaving the bag. Whether thsis due simplyi to wind resistance thereon or to rotationof the bagincdent torifling effect of thefolds is not known, but the results suggest that therifling; effecttis significant.

By retaining the bag 24 within the inner casing 181 for.` a considerable distance and retaining. the shot 28 within the` bag 24 for ai considerable. additional distance, the.l range of. the cartridge ofthe, present` invention is substantially increasedover..cartridgesheretofore known. As

4 previously described, the length of such retention can be controlled in theA design of cartridges for particular purposes. The use during flight of successively discarded containers for the shot, the inner casing 18 and the bag 24, makes possible the improved degree of control and the extent of improved carrying power.

The rapid dispersal of the shot upon release from the bag assures a desirable striking pattern even though thc shot has been held in a compacted condition during a substantial portion of its flight. The same factors that make for increased carrying effect` also insure increased impacting power uponstriking a target.

Although the invention has been herein shown and described in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In a shotgun cartridge having a substantially cylindrical outer casing, a substantially cylindrical inner casing slidably fitted to the` outer casing having a closed inner end and a releasably closed outer end provided with intersecting slots diametrically thereof, a bag of fiexible sheet material fitted within the inner casing having a closed end fitted against the closed end of the inner casing and an opposite end constricted about an opening concentrically thereof, and shot substantially filling the bag, an end of the outer casing being folded inwardly over the releasably closed end of the inner casing releasably to hold the inner casing, bag and shot within the outer casmgf 2. A shotgun cartridge comprising a cylindrical outer casing, a base providing a percussion cap mounted in closing relation to an end of the outer casing, a charge of explosive material withinV the outer casing adjacent to the base, `a substantially cylindrical inner casing` slidably fitted to the, outer casing having a closed end disposed toward the charge and an opposite closed end diametrically slotted to define` wedge-shaped segments, a ybag of flexible sheet material fitted within the inner casing having a closed end, fitted, against the closed end of the inner casing and an` opposite constricted end defining a` central opening,l and shot substantially filling the bag, and a circular cardboard wad fitted within the outer casing against the` slotted end of the inner casing, the end of the outer casing; opposite from the ybase being inturned` releasably to hold the wad in place.

3. A shotgun` cartridge comprising a cylindrical outer casing of foldable cardboard material, a metal `base pro viding apercussion cap mounted in closing relation to an end of the outer casing, a charge of explosive material within the casing adjacent to the base, a substantially cylindrical inner `casing of foldable cardboard ma-,`

terial slidably fitted to the outer casing having a closed end disposed toward the charge and an oppositely dis posed` releasably closed end provided with a plurality of intersecting slots diametrically thereof, said inner casingA being provided with longitudinal perforations continuous withthe slots and beinginternally and externally coated with a lubricating layer of wax,` a bag fitted to the inner casing having a. constricted end disposed toward the releasably closed end of the `inner casing` defining an opening concentrically thereof, shot of a size approximating but slightlylarger than the'openingin the bag substantially filling theibag,` and a circular cardboard wad fitted against the releasably closed end of the inner casing withinthe outer casing, the, outer'casing Ibeing inwardly turned releasably to hold `the `Wad therein.

4. In a shotgun cartridge having a substantially cylindrical` outerwcasing,` a. substantially cylindrical inner casingof foldable cardboard material slidably fitted to the outer casing having an inner` closedz endl and `an opposite i i l.

Outer end providing wedge shaped extensions inwardly folded cooperatively providing ya releasably closed end, said inner casing having longitudinal perforations extended from between the wedge shaped extensions from the outer end to positions intermediate the inner and the Outer ends, a bag of flexible sheet material `fitted within the inner casing having a closed end rested against the closed end of the inner casing and an opposite constricted end gathered about a central opening in spiral fold lines of a common direction of rotational progression, shot substantially filling the bag, and means releasably mounted in the outer casing in engagement with the outer end of the inner casing.

5. A shotgun cartridge comprising an outer casing having `a closed base end and an opposite end, an inner casing slidably tted into the outer casing having a closed inner end and a releasably closed outer end adapted to open in response to forces imposed )from inwardly thereof outwardly thereagainst, a bag of flexible sheet material slidably fitted ywithin theinner casing and having an end disposed toward the outer end -of the inner casing having a constricted opening therein adapted to receive air, the bag about the opening being adapted to accommodate dilation of the opening in response to movement of air inwardly therethrough, shot substantially lling the bag, and means releasably closing the end of the outer casing opposite to the base.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 50,536 Power Oct. 17, 1865 75,019 Howard Mar. 3, 1868 553,062 Follett Ian. 14, 1896 931,723 Bird Aug. 24, 1909 

